kopel



INSULATION F. KOPEL.

TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1919.

Patented June 24, 1919- 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I N VEN TOR.

W W V w wa mri A TTORNEYS.

F. KOPEL.

TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. 19H).

1 307,678 Patented June 24, 191% 2 sugars-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

WITNESS:

A TTORNEY-F.

w m /mm? 1mm; KOPEL, or nxnmn, IOWA.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11118 24:, 1919.

Application filed February 28, 1919. Serial No. 279,741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK KOPEL, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at E'xline, in the county of Appanoose and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traps; and I do hereby declare the following to bca tull,'cle'ar, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to traps, and more especially to traps for catching and exterminating rats and other rodents, itbeing the object of the invention to provide such atrap ofnovel and improved construction having means for electrocuting the rodents when they have entered the trap or cage thereof, and for dropping the rodents through the floor of the trap either into a vessel filled with water so as to drown the rodents it they are not electrocuted, or into any other receiver provided torthat-purpose. i

calpin'g after they have once started to enter the trap, and to also render theoperation of the trap more eiiective. It is also the b'ect of provide such a trap which will be cheap and inexpensive in construction, as well as eiiective in use.

VVith'the foregoing and other objects in view which will be apparent as the descrip The invention is illustrated in the accomf paniyng drawings, wherein I Figure 1 is a plan view of the trap. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section showing the runways, and also illustrating the electrical circuits in diagram.

Fig. ,3 is an end view ofthe trap. The trap includes an elongated base or floor 1 provided with an elongated opening 2 under which a suitable receiver is disposed for catching the rodents when they drop through said opening. This receiver may be a vessel 3 filled partly with water for drowning the rodents especially if'they are not electrocuted, and if the floor or base of the trap is level withthe ground, the vessel. 3

A further object is the provision of novel means for preventing the rodents from es-v the invention "to I may be disposed'in a hole dug in the ground over which thetrap is disposed. As shown,

the trap is elevated above the vessel or re-w ceiver 3, andinclined runways & lead from a the ground or floor of the room to-the opposite ends of the base 1, in order that the rodents loan readily enter the ends of the trap when attracted theretoiby the loait.=

A cage 5. of elongated-form and preferably constructed of wire mesh, is mounted on the base 1 over the opening 2, and is.pro- I vided at itsends with entrance openings 6 through which the rodents can pass into'the cage.

In order to prevent the escape of the rodents after they have started'through the or similar materialare hung withintheenopenings 6, and to also make the trap more elfeotive, depending flaps 7 of sheet metal "trance openings; Thus, 'eachflap 7 is pro vided adjacent to itsupper edge with aper inwardly and upwardly, and enable the roinwa'rdly and serrated or toothed, aszat 10, which not onlyenables the rodents to: pass tures 8- to engage hooks 9 with which 1 the cage 5'is provided at the top ofi'each opena ing 6. vSaid flaps are disposedatthe inner 1 sides of the ends of the cage, so as to swing dents to readily enter. The lower central portion of each flap 7 is bulged or dished under the flaps easier, but which also 'makes the flaps conform toand fit the backs of the rodents as they pass under 'theflaps, so that an attempt of the rodent to backoutwill cause'the teeth of the flap to prick into theback oftherodent, thus preventing the es}. cape,'it lbeing note-d that the teeth will. lay,

on the back of the rodent atthe momentthat the rodent tends to back out, this will swing the flap backwardly or outwardly to bring the teeth intowacti'on. This also provides for the more 'efi'ective electrical contact with the rodent between the flap 7 and rodent, said flap constituting one terminal of an electri cal circuit. After the rodents havepassed into the cage, the flaps 7 will swing back by gravity. c v

A main trap door 11 is mounted within the opening 2 between and spaced from the ends thereofyand is mounted on a trans-r verse axle 12 extending under the opening. This axle 12 has a depending arm or pendulum 15 having a weight 14lwhich holdsthe door "11 horizontal, and permits it to'tilt in either direction. This door 11 is of metal and constitutes the other terminal of the electrical circuit, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Between the endso'f thedoor 11 and opening 2 are mounted supplementary or secondary trap doors 15, each" mounted on a transverse axle 16 extending" under the"-openings2 near the respective ends thereof, and those wings-,of the doors- 15 adjacent to the ends of the openings 2 are: heavier than f those wings, adjacent to therdoor ll", so ithatythe doors 15 will swing back to horizontal position a after being tiltedn The ends Of! the, openings 2 and outerendssofi thedoors' 15 are beveled or otherwise" formed as at 17, so that said ends of the doors willirest-on-said ends of the opening? to supportsaid; doors in position,

andtpermit them to" tilt inwardly toward themain trapsdoor 1:1.v The trap is thus double endedyso thatlfa rodentcan enter from-either end, and in stepping between either door; 15 and the central} door 11, said doors will swing downwardly at their adjacent .BIldSnSQ that the rodent will drop downwardlytherebetweeninto the receiver,

when-the doors will-swing backinto original position. 1

Aabait holder 1-8is suspended within the the holder-1'8; The bait is to attract the rodent into the ends of the trap-over the door1-1;-, 1

In order to; electrocuteatherodents, a battery '21: .or-oth'er suitable source of electrical energy is provided and of suflicient voltage to kill the rodent when it completesthe circuitvi Oneypolefof the battery '21 is connectedby a"; leader orconductor 22, with the door 11, which is of metal or other conducting material; while the doo rs 15 are of wood or other-insulating matefiah-and the other pole of the batte'ry 2-1 is@ connected; by leaderstor conductors 23 with theflaps 7.- 'COII'? sequently', when the rodent; enters either end ofithe trap and j is passing under the flap 7, when the rodent/stepson the door I 11,; it will complete the circuitbetwe'en the fiapl? and door 11, thus electrocutingi itself, and at the samemoment, the trap .doors will .swing downwardly and deposit the rodent in the receiver.

Theop'eration'of the trapis entirely automatic, as the trap, doors and electrocuting meansiare both reset after a rodent has entered and dropped into the receiver, so that it is'not-necessaryion the operator to set the trap orotherwisegive it attention, excepting to refurnish the' bait and remove the rodents fromwtim'e to time Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,"ii5r" addressing the (3ommissio'nerofTiarteiita Washington, D. 0. f

trance, a trap door below the cage constitutmgone terminal of an electrical circuit and trance and adapted to swing downwardly away from the entrance, a second trap door having a portion extending toward said'enmounted between the first mentioned door door, and a flap suspended at the entrance having a lower toothed edge to bear on a rodent passing through the entrance and constituting the other terminal of the electrical circuit.

2. trap embodying a cage having an entrance, a trap door below the cage, constituting one terminal of an electrical circuit, a second trap door between the aforesaid'door and entrance, said doors being mounted to swing downwardly and separate, and a flap suspended at said entrance to swing inwardly and bear on a rodent passing through the entrance and constituting theother terminal of the electrical cir- 3. trap embodying a base having an opening, a cage mounted on the base over said opening and having entrances at the mounted between the aforesaid door and en'- trancesand projecting toward the main door and swingable downwardly away fro'msai'd' main door, and flapssuspended from the cage at said entrances to swing inwardly I and bear on rodents passing throughfsaid entrances and constituting the other terminal of the electrical circuit.

4. A trap embodying a cage having an entrance, a flap suspended loosely within said entrance to swlng inwardly, the lower.

portion of said flap being dished inwardly and toothed to fit over and bear on the back of a rodent passing through said entrance, i

to prevent the rodent backing out, said "flap constituting one terminal of an electrical circuit for electrocuting the rodent, and

means onto which the rodent steps when passing under said flap and constituting the other terminal of the circuit.

In testimony whereof I have signed' my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK KOPEL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN CAMPBELL,

GEORGE HU'romsoN. 

